1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates generally to voice processing methods and systems, and, more particularly to methods and systems that score and/or correct utterances according to personified voice processing techniques.
2. Description of the Related Art
Driven by the trend of globalization, people are learning at least a second language to improve his/her communication and competitive abilities. The major difficulty to learning a new language other than a native language is lack of opportunity and environment for speaking and listening. The most optimal learning environment is a one-to-one learning environment with a private tutor. However, the one-to-one learning environment is costly. Hence, learning systems implemented using software are designed to replace the learning environment with real live tutors. Users can voluntarily operate the learning systems to learn languages.
The learning systems provide opportunity and environment for learners to learn languages. Learners can repeatedly practice pronunciations using teaching materials provided by the learning systems. In an ideal learning system, the utterance pronounced by the learners should be scored, and pronunciation error patterns can be detected and corrected. Thus, the learners can correct learning mistakes according to the results generated by the learning system, to achieve language learning goals.
Unfortunately, most learning systems only have a demonstrative capability. That is, the learning systems only provide voice demonstrations of specific teaching materials. The learners must determine whether their pronunciations are correct or not according to the voice demonstrations, and correspondingly perform related adjustment. Some learning systems may have capabilities of voice scoring, and detection of pronunciation error patterns. However, the results of the systems and that achieved by real live teachers are very different. Therefore, a major bottleneck for current learning systems to overcome is to implement personified voice scoring, and detection and correction of pronunciation error patterns like those done by real teachers.